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"Surely they can't bring Maguire in - he's the same as Des," Mason told Skipi TV.

"He can come in, build a culture real good and then get them to a semi-final, grand final or whatever then he's out.

"But it wouldn't be the Bulldogs culture that the fans want, the players want or the ex-players want.

"I don't know what's wrong with the club. All I know is it's the wrong culture at the moment and something needs to be done."

Mason won the Clive Churchill Medal in Canterbury's 2004 grand final victory, but revealed earlier this year he was put off ending his career where it all began after he met with Hasler, ahead of the 2016 season.

And he said the right decision had been made to axe the two-time premiership winning coach.

"The writing was on the wall for Des all year," Mason said.

Former Canterbury forward Willie Mason has backed the decision by the Bulldogs to sack coach Des Hasler. (AAP)

"I get along well with Des, he's a great bloke, great coach, but I just don't think he is the right fit for the Bulldogs."

Meanwhile fellow former Bulldogs forward Reni Maitua said Hasler had to pay the price for the club's current salary cap position.

The Bulldogs have already released captain James Graham to St George Illawarra, but could still need to shed more stars to fit under next year's proposed cap,

"It's accountability," Maitua said.

"It's created a huge mess that someone needed to go.

"I think Des is the CEO, board and coach of that club. Everything goes through him, and he's fallen on his sword."

Maitua returned to the Bulldogs under Hasler in 2014, and has been vocal in his criticism of Hasler's culture at the club in the past.